Justice for the Morong 43! Justice for All Victims of Human Rights Violations! Alliance launched

The Justice for the Morong 43! Justice for all victims of human rights violations! Alliance was launched yesterday, September 26, at the Lung Center of the Philippines. The formation is both a campaign call and name of the alliance. The Alliance is composed of different organizations from the health sector, human rights advocates, communities, academe and individuals who commits to play vital roles in ensuring that the campaign for justice shall continue to be taken upon. It hopes to be a contributing force in making the wheels of justice turn in favor not only for the Morong 43 but to all victims of human rights violations.

The event was graced by more than a hundred people from different sectors.

The release of the Morong 43 on December 17, 2010 after ten months of illegal detention is a victory celebrated by both national and international communities. The Morong 43's release was a fruit of the people's struggle. They were freed not only by the intense legal battles but by a combination of numerous mass campaigns, in all conceivable forms, waged here and abroad by different organizations as well as individual advocates.

Seeking justice for the ordeal they have gone through, some members of the Morong 43 filed civil and criminal cases against the personalities involved and responsible for their illegal arrest, detention, and torture. However, their captors, torturers, and the masterminds of the crimes against their human rights are still in power and with authority. Some are even up for promotion and received medals during Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's presidency. Mrs. Arroyo is now Pampanga's representative in the Congress. They are still in active service in the government and continue to perpetrate further human rights violations against activists and other humanitarian workers.

To this day, cases that have been filed with the Supreme Court, Commission on Human Rights, and the Quezon City Regional Trial Court still await resolution after more than a year.

Moreover, harassments, intimidations and threats against Community Health Workers as well as health and other humanitarian workers continue in the country. The military and their agents never ceased to sow terror among the people and tag activists and health workers as communists or terrorists.

Hence, the Morong 43's struggle must continue not only for their own quest for justice but for all the victims of human rights violations as well.

What does the Justice for the Morong 43! Justice for all victims of human rights violations! Alliance intend to do?

• To serve as a rallying organization of all health professionals, health workers, and communities in asserting their right to health;
• To ensure a continuing campaign for justice through various activities, mobilizations especially on highlighted dates;
• To generate the widest possible support for the campaign and the alliance from organizations and individuals here and abroad;
• To generate continuing public awareness on human rights and justice through media events, press releases, and information education materials.

The formation of the Justice for the Morong 43! Justice for All Victims of Human Rights Violations! Alliance will serve as a reminder that the Morong 43’s continuing struggle for justice is a collective call and effort of the people to end impunity and punish all human rights violators.##